Re:Hydrogel process developed at Stanford creates transparen...
by robot on Thursday April 11, 2013 @02:57PM
(#5533970)
This is a very impressive (yet simple) methodology in that before this there was no understanding of where certain neurons were projecting in the brain, due to the fat tissue blocking any imaging possibilities. After this many connections were uncovered that were not well understood for years.
"Second, this phenomenon of ongoing exponential growth through a cascade of S-curves is far broader than computation. We see the same double exponential growth in a wide range of technologies, including communication technologies (wired and wireless), biological technologies (e.g., DNA base-pair sequencing), miniaturization, and of particular importance to the software of intelligence, brain reverse engineering (e.g., brain scanning, neuronal and brain region modeling)."
-Kurzweil
Re:Hydrogel process developed at Stanford creates transparen...
by solox3 on Thursday April 11, 2013 @03:00PM
(#5533989)
Whole organ decellularization is not new - we've had transparent heart ECMs for quite some time. By loading the brain here with monomers, they kill the organ, whereas you can still use the transparent heart if you reload it with cells. Similar thing, different purposes.
Re:Hydrogel process developed at Stanford creates transparen...
by RVijay007 on Thursday April 11, 2013 @09:03PM
(#5535918)
Just to clarify, this is not whole organ decellularization. The brain tissue, with it's neurons, glia, ECM, are left all in tact, along with their proteins, mRNA, etc.
Now, instead of having to slice the brain into micrometer slices just to understand architecture at a localized level, you can understand the architecture of the whole brain's network down to the cellular level, as well as do both immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization to probe what kind of proteins and molecular markers are present throughout the brain. This is nothing short of a revolution in experimental technique not only for neuroscience, but all of pathology.
Re:Hydrogel process developed at Stanford creates transparen...
by slacka on Thursday April 11, 2013 @11:16PM
(#5536406)
This is huge for the fields of AI and Neuroscience. I would gladly donate my brain( preferably when I'm done with it) to give neuroscientists a map of the human brain. This map would be a great first step to creating strong AI.
Re:Hydrogel process developed at Stanford creates transparen...
by kragen on Thursday April 11, 2013 @04:27PM
(#5534558)
Summary: infuse brain with hydrogel monomers, polymerize to form permeable polymer matrix, remove lipids with vigorous electrophoresis, bingo, transparent brain.
"Second, this phenomenon of ongoing exponential growth through a cascade of S-curves is far broader than computation. We see the same double exponential growth in a wide range of technologies, including communication technologies (wired and wireless), biological technologies (e.g., DNA base-pair sequencing), miniaturization, and of particular importance to the software of intelligence, brain reverse engineering (e.g., brain scanning, neuronal and brain region modeling)." -Kurzweil
Now, instead of having to slice the brain into micrometer slices just to understand architecture at a localized level, you can understand the architecture of the whole brain's network down to the cellular level, as well as do both immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization to probe what kind of proteins and molecular markers are present throughout the brain. This is nothing short of a revolution in experimental technique not only for neuroscience, but all of pathology.